WASHINGTON, July 8 — By the numbers, Donald Trump’s political trajectory is unlike any in modern American history. The 45th president is now the Republican Party’s nominee for the 2024 presidential election, carrying a record of four separate criminal indictments in 2023 alongside a foreign policy record that includes withdrawing the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, ordering a targeted killing, and designating a foreign military force as a terrorist organization. Born June 14, 1946, Trump served a single term from January 20, 2017, to January 20, 2021.
Since leaving office, the Secret Service has maintained his protective detail — a standard post-presidency benefit. By September 25, 2024, Trump was publicly stating that Iran, which he called “scum,” is plotting to assassinate him, describing himself as the “No. 1 target.”
The Iran record that defines the threat landscape
Trump’s relationship with Iran is the key context for understanding his current security concerns. During his presidency, he took three major actions against the Islamic Republic. In 2018, he withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
In 2019, he designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization. Then in 2020, he ordered the drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force, in Baghdad.
Trump’s September 2024 statement about an Iranian assassination plot fits into this pattern of escalating confrontation. He offered no specific evidence in public remarks.
Legal exposure and the campaign calendar
The four indictments Trump faced in 2023 cover federal and state jurisdictions. In New York, he was charged with falsifying business records related to hush-money payments. In Florida, federal prosecutors charged him with mishandling classified documents after leaving office.
In Washington, D.C., special counsel Jack Smith charged him with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach. In Georgia, state prosecutors charged him with racketeering and other counts related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in that state.
Trump has pleaded not guilty in all four cases. The Secret Service protection that began in 2017 adds another layer of complexity. Trump’s designation of himself as the “No. 1 target” — his phrase from September 2024 — reflects both his legal exposure and his foreign policy record.
What to watch next
The intersection of Trump’s legal calendar, his national security threats, and his campaign schedule will define the next several months.
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